Random

Summer intensive classes are here and I'm working non-stop. Fortunately, I have a vacation in two weeks and will spend it on the beach. Hopefully the weather cooperates this time.

Yunha and I went to the Bucheon Film Festival again this year. We were only able to see one film called Adam's Apples that was pretty good. They also had a special effects exhibit that was interesting but they didn't allow pictures. Yunha managed to sneak a couple and when she sends them I'll put them up here.


The special effects workshop and exhibition was housed in a massive department store. Outside, children played in the water fountain.


Meanwhile, inside the department store I found this children's hair shop where kids can sit in miniature sports cars while getting a haircut.


After the exhibition we walked down to a pedestrian shopping area to Yunha's favorite restaurant.


감자탕 (Gamja Tang) is a spicy potato and beef stew. This was definitely the best 감자탕 I've had, though it strangely lacked potatoes. This was especially strange considering that the 감자 part of 감자탕 means potato. Nevertheless, it was very good and I can see why it's Yunha's favorite place to eat.



After lunch we chose to walk the 20 minutes across Bucheon to the theater. Along the way I snapped some pictures of the never ending rows of apartments throughout Korea.


This is the entrance to the theater where we watched Adam's Apples. In the film Adam, a recently released prisoner, moves to a country church and at the urging of questionably sane priest decides to bake an apple pie for his redemption. The premise is a little goofy, but Adam and the film both know this. It's worth a watch if you ever stumble upon it. I can't remember where it is from, but it's some cold European country.


At a park near my house we took some pictures. I was experimenting with the different setting on my camera.

Yeong Jong Do

As promised, here are pictures from my trip to 영종도.


Yunha tried to book us a room with a view and when we arrived managed to trade up to a Honeymoon suite. My favorite thing about this photo is Yunha's leaning reflection in the mirror.


Here I am, 10 minutes into arrival, leaning out the window for a cigarette.


We had two beds. I'm not sure why a Honeymoon suite requires two beds but whatever.


A really nice room.


Yunha looking really cute framed in the doorway.


Next to the hotel was a log cabin restaurant that had a small animal pen outside. Here Yunha feeds a horse.


Here is one of several large white dogs they had. On the first day we saw three or four really cute puppies, but since it was raining so hard we didn't stop to take pictures.


Yunha convinced me to try the local delicacy 조개구이. Fortunately, I agreed. It was delicious. Eating this food requires wearing one glove, ala Michael Jackson.


Here is the dinner we enjoyed. On this trip we opted for the half-shellfish half-shrimp option.


Little did I know that the shrimp came with heads and eyes and all the other stuff that turns me off from eating something. I did try one and it was good. However, Yunha not only ate ALL the remaining shrimp but also the majority of the shellfish. That girl can eat.


I took this photo because I wanted to show we were eating on the beach. However, the weather was not so cooperative.


A shaggy and wet dog that Yunha somehow thought was really cute.


The weather was not nice, but at least it stopped raining for awhile.


Here an old bald man poses for a picture on the beach.


We took many shots of ourselves setting off fireworks on the beach. Unfortunately, this is the only one that came out. If you look in the background you can see signs advertising the food we ate earlier.


On the last day it cleared up enough to take some pictures of the surrounding area. These are from the hotel window.


This is clearly an area under development and will probably be a popular tourist destination in the future.


Here is the little restaurant outside our hotel. It was a very cozy place.


Finally, Yunha napping on the couch.

Water

This time of year Korea enters what is known alternately as Monsoon Season or just Rainy Season. By either name it is wet. It has rained nearly everyday for the past two to three weeks. The rain is constant. In the morning when you wake up it is raining. When you go to bed at night it is raining.

Over this last weekend I went away on a small trip to 영종도 (Yeong Jong Do), which is an island off the western coast of Korea and home to Incheon International Airport, Korea's main airport. As is usual for any trip I take it rained non-stop (photos coming soon). Nevertheless, I had a good time and stayed in a great hotel. I ate some delicious 조개구이 (fresh shellfish cooked over an open flame) and discovered a tiny crab inside one of the shells.

Aside from the weather my apartment has also been inundated with water as of late. My washing machine periodically chooses to leak water across the floor of my kitchen/laundry room. In addition, it seems the heavy rain has sprung a small leak in the roof of said room so anytime I venture to the refrigerator I must first wade through a shallow swamp. I'm not interested in fixing it since I have only a few months left in this apartment.

A couple quick updates: I purchased a replacement for my camera that was stolen >_<. So, I'll be able to post new photos soon. Also, summer intensive classes begin next week so I'll be very busy in the coming month.


Here is the first picture to be posted with my new camera and features a co-worker's oft-worn t-shirt. Koreans tend to make and purchase t-shirts with seemingly nonsensical English printed on them, such a my girlfriends shirt that largely states "NO WAG AT IOWA". This particular t-shirt, however, clearly has an English meaning. The only thing less embarrassing than asking my co-worker if I could take a picture of her shirt was trying not to explain to a group of curious Korean female co-workers why I found it so amusing.

As a last note I just want to wish the best to my aunt Cathy who was just diagnosed with Leukemia. For the sake of her, her children and her grandchildren I wish her a speedy recovery.